Sheet stacking and stripping for printing presses



March 1, 1932. w, T 1,847,741.

SHEET STACKING AND STRIPPING FOR PRINTIHG PRESSES Filed July 24, 1929 3 Sheets-:Sheet .1

Inventor w. P. Z ENT 1,847,741.

SHEET STACKING AND STRlPPING FOR PRINTING PRESSES March 1, 1932.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor March 1, 1932. w. P. zENT 1,847,741

SHEET STACKING AND STRIPPING FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed July 24. 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 [raven/for Patented Mar. 1, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT .QFFJI CE :WAYNE- r. ZENT, or TROY, NEw Yonk i i i SHEET STACKING Ann srRIrPIno-ron rnm'rme rniissns i Application filed July 24, 1929. Serial No. 380,693.

This invention embodies an apparatus for invention attached to a rockerarm of a prints engaging with sheets of paper, or other objects as printed, at a time and place of delivery by the delivery fingers or tapes of the printing press, and then depressing them to-' ward and into a suitable receptacle.

An apparatus made in accordance with the present invention includes means for strip- H ping the printed sheet from the delivery applaten printing press.

paratus, thereafterguiding it into and retaining' it within a receiving receptacle, the term sheet in this specification is intended to include any object that hasordinarily been used for printing. I

Moreover, the apparatus is preferably of such character and construction that it is capable of ready attachment to-various automatically fed presses, the specification, however, being confined to an automatically fed A further object of this invention is to provide means of adjustment and adaptation to the various sheet sizes as required in the art of printing and as well on various sizes and styles of printing presses.

A further object is to provide means to facilitate the proper functioning of the delivery fingers in the engagement with the printed sheet as well as its final delivery of the same, thereby adding to the scope or range of the delivery fingers as positioned for continuous operation without further interruption due to irregular cut or curled sheets.

Referring to the drawings, F ig. 1 is a view "in side elevation'partly broken away, of a printing press showing this invention attached to the rocker arm of press automatic feeder. Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on'the line 22 of Fig. 8 showing hinged sheet engager device. Fig.

3 is a view of the same looking in direction of Y the arrow A. Fig. & is a vertical section taken on. the line 44 of Fig. 8 showing the swivel sheet engager device. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 6 is an enlarged view similar to Fig. 1 showing the method of attaching this invention to the rocker arm of a printing press automatic feeder. Fig. 7 is a section taken on the line 77 of Fig.

i 6. Fig. 8 is a view in front elevation of this ing press automatic feeder. Fig. 9 is a top plan view of thisinvention;

Similar-characters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Proceeding now to a detailed descriptionof the various features of this invention as; illustrated inan embodiment thereof applied toa Gordon printing press, 1- designatesthe press platen, 2 a printed. sheet thereon, 3 an ordinary delivery finger with its oper-- atin arm 4 which has a travel are as indicate I bythe arrows 5'for the delivery of the r printed sheet 2 into the receptaclefii "In Fig. -1 is shown a viewof-thegear assembly of an automatic press feederof the Gordonpresstype including a. rocker arm 7 to which is attached the main standard 8. of this invention by a lug screw'9.

The upper portion ofthe standard 8.bearsa main cross member 10 which carries a fixed sheet engager device 11 and a hingedsheet engager device 12, the sheet engager de- I vices having lateral and circular adjustment. upon the cross members 10 and 19 by means of the thrumb screws 13 and flexible sheet engager fingers '14 having longitudinal adj ust-' ment means by the thumb screw 15. w 1

' The fixed sheetengager 11 is so termed to designate that it can only be applied ata fixed position or set position on the cross members 10, 19 or 19a, in the clear of the travel of the delivery carriage 22. It primarily functions to retain theprinted sheetin thereceptacle 6 after being released from the delivery finger 3 and'secondarily to under strike the printed sheet at delivery finger releasing pointwhen it is'inounted on the cross member 19a.and when so used it alsois in the clear of the delivery carriage travel area. The function performed by fixed sheet. engager 11 is to strikethe printed sheet with engager fingers 14 at points within the area of the travel of the delivery carriage 22 which carriage isthe mounting for the delivery fingers 3, and at a depth below thearc line of its travel to and from the platen 1 teallow the delivery fingers '3 to grasp a. printed sheetand deliver it'to the receptacle 6.

' Sheet engager fingers 14 bear rounded ends lbu 16 for protective means against slurring the printed sheets 2. Sheet engager fingers 1% are provided'with the cam shaped ends 2a to increase the flexibility of the finger. The sheet engager fingers as used with either the fixed, swiveled or hinged sheet engager device are mounted in a similar manner and are adjusted and set by like means, the proper functioning of the engagers being obtained by the means provided and described in each case.

The functions of the hinged sheet engager 12 and the swivel sheet engage'r 21 are alike, the different number designations being used in view of a slight difference in construction as shown in Fig. 8. These sheet engagers function by having their engager finger 14 set to strike the sheet at time of release by the delivery fingers 3 and forceit forward and downward into the receptacle 6, the yieldable means of their construction making it possible to set the sheet engager finger 14 the required depth to obtain this result and to be swiveled or hinged upward by contact of the delivery finger carriage 22 in its travel to and from the platen 1 without damage to the finger 14 which would occur if the fixed sheet engager was used for this purpose. When my device is in action the delivery mechanism as represented in the delivery carriage 22 and its delivery fingers 3 is at rest during this interval and does not become in motion until my device is at rest so there can be no interference of the carriage 22 or the.

delivery fingers 3 with any part of my device except the engagers as above shown, the other parts of my structure being fully in the clear of the carriage and its delivery fingers when they are in motion.

Ofiset arms 17 circular adjustment on the main cross member 10 by the thumb screw 18 and carry off set cross members 19 and 19a which have lateral and circular adjustment by means of the thumb screw 20. The cross members 19 and 19a carry fixed sheet engager devices 11 and the cross member 19 carries swivel sheet engager devices 21.

In Figs. 2 and 3 is shown a hinged sheet engager device 12 which is designed for use on either of the-cross members 10 and 19 when positioned thereon at a point in line with the travel are of the delivery finger carriage 22, the hinge or spring member 23 allowing an upward deflection of the cam shaped end 24 of the sheet engager finger 1 1' when it contacts with the carriage 22 in its travel arc. a

In Figs. 4 and is shown a swivel sheet engager device 21 which is designed for use on the cross members and 19 when positioned thereon at a point in line with the travel are of the delivery finger carriage 22, the swivel sheet engager device 21 being positioned on the cross members 10 and 19 by and 17 a have lateral and the guides 25 and 25a which have lateral and circular adjustment thereon by the thumb screw 26, the guide 25a having a detent arm 27 to determine the throw of the finger l l as shown in Fig. 4.

T he general operation of the foregoing sheets'tripping and stacking device tor printing presses may be briefly described as follows:

Taking as normal position the position of the mechanism as shown at restabove the receptacle 6 the fingers 3 are closed as the carriage travels toward the platen 1 and are set to determine the extent of their travel into the platen area. As they near this set positi on the fingers are automatically opened and the lower section of the finger passes under the sheet and the upper section passes over the sheet. The fingers are then automaticallyclosed upon the sheet audit is carried to the point or the assumed normal position of the delivery mechanism when the sheet is now directly above the receptacle 6 and the delivery fingers 3 are again automatically opened to release the sheet for delivery into the receptacle 6.

Assuming the delivery fingers 3 have grasped a printed sheet 2 from the platen 1 and carried it along the are as indicated by the arrows 5 by the movement of the delivery carriage 22, it will rest approximately on the dotted line 28 above the sheet receptacle (5 when the delivery finger operating arm 4 has reached the set extent of its rearward travel as represented in the dotted line showing in- Fig. 1. Ordinarily at this interval the de livery fingers 3 release the printed sheet 2 and it drops by its own weight into the sheet existent in ordinary sheet delivery devices,

the sheet will not leave the fingers and be returned to the platen to interrupt the continuous action of the press and automatic feeder operations and cause delay and spoilage of the work under production.

This invention is designed to overcome these faults in the ordinary way of delivery of the printed sheets 2 into the receptacle'O andto there-by increase production and insure perfect delivery of the printed sheet without loss of time or spoilage. a

- Returning to the point where the delivery fingers 3 release the printed sheet 2 for delivery into the receptacle 6. the rocker arm 7 is driven downward carrying the device as represented in this invention downward with anangular forward mot-hm and the sheet em gager fingers l l being positioned by the adusta'ble means as has been clearly shown forces the printed sheet :2 from. the delivery 4 fingers 8 into the receptacle .6 to be jogged into a neat pile and preventing upward curling or'upward static impulse of the sheets in the receptacle 6, leaving a clear passage of the delivery fingers 3, ast he rocker arm 7 returns to its norl'nal position, toreturn to the platen 1 for delivery of another printed sheet 2 into the receptacle (9;

The delivery fingers otthe automatic feed ing device, as partially shown suflicient to il-. lust-rate the n'iount-ing and action ofv this invention, are restricted to a maximum bite or grasp of the printed sheet 2 by the delivery fingers 3 to allow its proper release at point of delivery. The restriction is indicated as inch to allow sufficient time for the sheet 2 to leave the delivery fingers 3 during their opening at releasing position above the receptacle 6. This very brief interval when the fingers 3 are open to release the sheet for delivery to the receptacle 6 is termed in my specification as the delivery dwell and the sheets must free themselves from the opened lingers 3 by dropping of their own weight or they will be again grasped by the fingers and returned to the platen 1 causing the troubles and damage as enumerated in the above specification. Under ordinary use when a Sheet does not free itself from the lingers the speed of the press must be reduced suificiently to permit a dwell at releasing point ofthe fingers so the sheet can free itself. My device frees the sheet from the fingers 3 by forcing it from the fingers instantly and thereby permits the press to be run at full speed no matter what condition of the sheet or delivery contingency may arise, such as a decrease in an assumed size of the sheet by curled warpage or uneven cutting, which heretofore has been the cause of spoilage of the work, displacement of the register stops and considerable delay and damage to the product due to sheet 2 remaining on the platen 1 and becoming clogged in the sheet feeding mechanism.

The use and intent of this invention is to overcome this fault by and with the means as already described, as a suflicient bite or grasp can be taken on the printed sheet 2 by the delivery fingers 3 to meet the variation,

not possible by the present maximum extent, to handle the variation in size of sheet as detion of members 19a and 14 being to push the sheet upward from the delivery fingers 3.

The offset erossmember 19a-is adjusted to clear beneath the delivery finger carriage 22.

The arrows 29 indicate the upwardtravel illustrated by the arrows 30. The other ar rows as shown in-Fig. 1 indicate approximate travel of the sheet engager fingers to engage with the printed sheet 2.

It has been shown that the sheet engager devices are interchangeable for use on the several cross members 10 and 19 and that intent is .shown'to strike any point on the surface of the printed sheet 2 with the sheet engager fingers 14 to secure. a perfect delivery of the sheet 2 from the delivery fingers 3. into the sheet receptacle 6;

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by LettersPatBnt is-.-

1. In a sheet stripping and stacking apparatus for a printing press, the combination of delivery finger mechanism for delivering the sheet, a: downward and forward drive mechanism, and sheet engager fingers actuated by the aforesaid drive mechanism for engaging and depressing a sheet into a receptacle.

2. The combination with the sheet delivery fingers of a printing press, and means for engaging and depressing a'sheet during the dwell orpause at the end of its delivery cycle.

3. The combination of sheet delivery fingers, a sheet stacker and stripper for releasing asheet therefrom, and further means to force it into a receptacle.

' 4. The combination of a sheet stripper and stacker, adjustable fingers to engage the sheet, and. driving means to depress and forwardthe sheet from its deliverymechanism and against return thereto.

5. The combination of a sheet stripper and stacker with sheet engaging mechanism with means to provide clearance at delivery end of travel of sheet delivery mechanism.

(i. The combination of a sheet stripper and stacker with sheet engager fingers having means of lateral, radial and longitudinal adjustment for sheet engagement.

7. The combination of a sheet stripper and stacker with sheet engager supporter members having means of lateral, longitudinal and radial adjustment over a certain sheet receptacle area.

8. In a sheet stripping and stacking apparatus for a printing press, the combination of downward drive mechanism, three adjustable depressing members havinglongit'udinal, adjustment and with means of clearing other moving mechanism.

9. The combination of a sheet stripper and top or printed side of a sheet, and means tostacker, a printing press, a delivery mechamsm, sheet engager fingers to contact the position the fingers to strike the sheet at any point of its surface area and at any desired degree of depression.

10. The combination of a sheet stripper andstacker, a sheet engager finger to contact theunder side or bottomof a printed sheet at time of its delivery cycle, a receptacle into which the sheets may be delivered, and means to position the finger to strike the sheet at a choice of plural positions along its under or bottom side and at any degree of contact pressure.

11. The combination of flexible fingers, cross members on whichsaid fingers are adjustably mounted, a rocker arm on which the cross members are mounted whereby to contact the fingers with a printed sheet to'strip it from a delivery mechanism and depress it into a receptacle.

12. The combination of a printing press, a printed sheet delivery mechanism, a rocker, a receptacle, a sheet stripper and stacker mechanism, and means to synchronize the action of the combination to contact the sheet engagerfingers with the printed sheet at its delivery point.

13. In a sheet stripping and stacking 1necl1- release from a delivery finger. 1

14. In a sheet stripping and stacking mech anism a printed sheet delivery mechanism,

sheet engager fingers, and means of contacting said sheet engager fingers against a printed sheet at a point synchronized with the instant of release of the printed sheet from a delivery finger.

15. In a sheet stripping and stacking mechanism a printed sheet delivery mechanism, sheet engager fingers, and means of contacting said sheet engager fingers against a printed sheet at a point subsequent the self dropping of the sheet from a delivery finger.

1G. The combination of sheet delivery fingers and means to add weight to a printed sheet to strip it from its delivery fingers and augment its travel into a receptacle.

17. The combination otsheet delivery fingers, and means to strike a printed sheet to strip it from the delivery fingers and force its travel into a receptacle.

18.-The combination in a printing press of sheet delivery fingers, an automatic sheet striking device, and means for adjusting same to permit a greater bite or grasp on the'print ed sheet to be delivered by the delivery fingers.

19. The combination in a printing press of sheet delivery fingers, an automatic sheet striking device, a sheet receiving receptacle, and means to retain the printed sheet within a sheet receiving receptacle during delivery.

thereinto when released by the sheet delivery fingers. I 1 i 20.- The combination in a printing press of an automatic sheet stripper and stacker,a sheet delivery receptacle, sheet delivery fingers, and. means to'retain the printed sheet adjustable depressing members having longitudinal adjustment.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature.

\VAYNE P. ZENT. 

